Miscreants mutilate Don Bosco statue in Guwahati

In a bizarre incident, miscreants destroyed a statue of Don Bosco on Friday morning in Guwahati's Bharalumukh area. The statue was to be unveiled by chief minister Tarun Gogoi in later part of the day. The incident compelled the Kamrup (Metro) district administration to defer the function.

In a bizarre incident, miscreants destroyed a statue of Don Bosco on Friday morning in Guwahati's Bharalumukh area. The statue was to be unveiled by chief minister Tarun Gogoi in later part of the day. The incident compelled the Kamrup (Metro) district administration to defer the function.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi had condemned the act of defacing the statue of noted educationist John Bosco (Don Bosco) in Guwahati. In a statement , he said that, “We understand the local sentiments but at the same we must acknowledge the contribution made by John Bosco in the field of education and the society at large”, said Gogoi.

The Kamrup (Metro) district administration had ordered an inquiry into the incident. “The project has been deferred. In future , for this kind of programme, we will take consensus of all people “, said M Angamuthu, deputy commissioner of Kamrup (M) district.

The miscreants had thrown the statue into the Bharalu river after defacing it. Four policemen deployed in the site were injured as they threw stones at the statue.

The state government had decided to install a life-size state of noted educator John Bosco last month to commemorate the bi-centenary of his birth. The Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Library junction in heart of Guwahati had intially been chosen for the statue, but signifcant protests against the decision the venue to install the statue was shifted to the bank of Bharalumukh area. The move provoked local opposition, as the river banks were already home to the statues of several freedom fighter.

“This is a martyr's site. Saint John Bosco was not a martyr. If the government wants to install a state of the saint then it should in any institution developed by the Don Bosco authority. The decision of administration had certainly angered locals”, said Ajay Dutta, a social worker.